Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1887-09-29

the secretary Of tho Postmastcr- Gcncr.
al. This gave mo new leg to stand
on. l then called on the postmaster OF
the station. ! asked him how long
before tho letter would be sent out OF
the station for delivery. He said with
In three-luarters Of an hour. i asked
him II no would hold the letter II I got
an ordorfrom tho secretary to the Post.
mastci-Gcneral. Hc said he would
certainly obey any order OF that official,
but he would not hold back the letter
one second without such IN order.
Ilcft him, having three-quarters OF
IN hour to go some three miles down
in the city to reach tho secretary.
Through the underground railroad I
was able to got to tho main depart
mcnt within twenty five minutes, and
In ten minutes more, With very
little cercmony-not so much
rs would DO required to
reach tho Postmaster-G General Mt WASH
ington-l was ushered into the pres.
encc Of tho working head Of the En-
glish Post.Oilice Department. the sec.
rotary to tho Postmaster-General. j
asked him II hc would consent to give
back the letter. Hc was exceedingly
polite. but absolutely unyielding. He
said he had no doubt about my ability
TO identify The letter. He was sorry nc
could do nothing. but the rule was one
to which the department had adhered
for years without any favor to any one.
He said: II have before mo nearly
every day people representing all con.
di,ions and degrees OF life in England
seeking to have letters given back to
them which have been posted by mis-
take; but wo never have waived the
rule" said: "Thc object Of the rule
is undoubtedly to protect the interests
Of tho public"
Certainly. that is the object"
.'Then you who make the rule and
can suspend it at will certainly ough'
10 have some discretion. II you are
convinced that no public injury can be
done. then you surely can safely sus.
pend the rule"
"What would our subordinatcs say
il We should break our own rulcs?"
"rhose rules are made for your sub
orlina,es. who should have no dis.
crc,ioa in the matter; but no subordi.
nate would have any right TO question
the discretion Of the rulc-making pow
crs."
He shook his head at this. and said
il was not matter for argument. Tho
English Post-Ollicc Department never
waived its rules. then asked him II
he would not do SO IL ho were con-
frontcd with ease whore the delivery
Of letter would develop somc domes.
tic tragedy or great scandal. To
this hc said:
Il have ruled upon your case, and
You must confess IL was not serious
| will decide the serious one when 1t Is
actually presented. i am not in the
habit Of making hypothetical dccis.
ions upon hypothetical eases. How.
ever. have no hesitation in saying TO
you that l do not believe the rule
would BE- broken even then. At any
rate. should not act without consult-
Ing our solicitor"
"But meanwhile. under your system
of swift delivery and the rulo that M
letter should be DELAYED in its trans.
mission. the letter would be delivered
before you could reach your solicitor"
"Ah." said he. 81 see that You adj
nit the perfection Of our postal system.
and although it hits you little hard
now you must confess 1t Is the best
POSTAL system in the world. and we
keep 1t that way by rigidly adhcring
to our well considered rules. 1T G
Crapford. IN London Letter 10 " y.
World.